What If?
by Property of Professor Snape
Summary: Slow rewrite of the Hp series full summary inside. Includes slash SSDMHP HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** What If

**Summary**: What if the Dursleys abused Harry far worse than they did in the actual Harry Potter Series? What if the Sorting Hat had placed Harry in Slytherin after all? What if I stop asking questions and actually start to right this blasted story? You are about to find the answer to these questions and more in my extremely slow rewrite of the entire Harry Potter series.

**Author**: Property of Professor Snape

**Rating**: T for now

**Couple**: Severus Snape /Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter

**Word Count**: 97

**Genres**: Romance, Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort

**Warnings**: For now none but that will change

**Disclaimer**: None of the characters are mine; they all belong to JK Rowling. I am only borrowing them for my own fun, and do not ever expect to receive anything other than satisfaction from writing this.

**A/N**: This is a rewrite of the entire Harry Potter series and feel that it is only safe to warn too this story may not start out seeming dark, because this is only a prologue but trust me it will get worse much worse.I know that this was extremely short but duh stupids its a prolouge. Please I am begging you it would mean so much to me if you guys would reveiw and tell me whether or not it would be okay to cotinue on this or not, I know that I haven't given you much to work with but it would mean so much to me if you tried.

**~*~**

As you all know there is more than one way to tell a story, because there are many different possibilities all stemming off of the most seemingly insignificant details. Why even a mere sneeze from a less important character can change the course of a story so quickly and so vastly that we forget what caused it all. In this story I'm going to be tweaking a lot of seemingly insignificant details, as well as extremely important details, and ask that you pay close attention because one simple word can change the entire meaning of a chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Meet Harry Potter

**Summary: **Starts out as expositional chapter that describes who Harry is how he was treated yadda, yadda, yadda.

**Author: **Property of Professor Snape

**Rating: **PG

**Characters: **Harry Potter, Sophia the Snake, Dudley, Vernon, and Petunia Dursley

**Word Count:**

**Genres: **Hurt/Comfort with some Angst

**Warnings: **Mentions of Child Abuse and attempted murder

**Disclaimer: **I do not, have not, and will not ever own Harry Potter. *Sniff* Great now you've gone and reminded me of that fact and that's a whole other set of issues I have to bring up in my next session with Bob my psychiatrist. BOB?!?!?! Bob is no longer available he has committed suicide, because he can no longer deal with PoPS seriously screwed up tortured mind.

**~*~**

Harry Potter was not a very important boy, at least that's what he thought. He didn't do anything except what he was told; he always tried his hardest to be what was expected of him, which wasn't very much. He did everything he possibly could to remain under everyone's radar out of trouble but no matter how hard he tried it was futile because trouble always seemed to have a way of finding him.

Take for instance when he was four and Dudley got a new bicycle he hadn't meant to fall on it he was always tripping over his own feet. Regardless he had fallen right on the shiny red bike causing it to become horribly scratched. Dudley had yelled and screamed and cried about how Harry was jealous and purposefully fell on his bike, which wasn't true but by the time Vernon had gotten done with him Harry had begun to believe this was true. Then there was also the time when Harry had turned eight and accidently stepped on his Aunt Marge's favorite dog Bruiser's tail even after the dog and bitten him Vernon still insisted on punishing Harry.

Harry hadn't walked straight for weeks.

It didn't take long for Harry to notice the difference between the way his guardians treated him and they way other parents treated their kids. When it was time for Harry to go to school he had to walk there, it was usually more like running since it always took him longer than he expected to finish all of the morning chores. Other parents however were reluctant to allow kids as young as five walk to school and home all by themselves, and on the rare occasions when Harry did get there early enough to have some down time he always got to see other kids parents drive them up to the school and watched them get hugged good bye.

Harry had never got hugged before something that always did seem to bother him; he couldn't ever remember being hugged by any other person before. It didn't take him long to deduce what he thought the answer to the problem was, Harry had never gotten hugged before simply because he didn't deserve one.

Harry was treated with no respect from the Dursely's because he had what Vernon had oh so affectionately named 'the badness'. This meant that whenever something went wrong no matter how trivial or ludicrous it seemed Harry had to be punished for it. He tried very hard to ignore the words they said to him tried hard to pay no attention to how the other kids got treated because Harry knew that the only reason he was treated this way was because he had the badness in him.

Things for him soon fell into a routine, in the mornings Aunt Petunia would yell at him to wake up and stop being so lazy and start the breakfast. Harry had to do get dressed quickly as he could and start the breakfast immediately otherwise he wouldn't be able to have breakfast of his own. Next he had to complete all of his morning chores and run quickly to school; otherwise he'd be late and be punished. After school he had to complete the afternoon chores and make the family's dinner, he was then instructed to wait inside his cupboard until they were finished eating. When he was let out he had to quickly wash up the dishes that were left over from dinner and complete any remaining chores they had for him in the time allotted otherwise it meant no dinner for him.

By the age of nine Harry's spirit was truly broken he'd become used to the mundane rituals of the life he spent living with the Dursely's. He'd become accustomed to the fact that they never acknowledged him save for some scathing comment or further instruction. He never even flinched when he'd broken some nameless rule (he was so sure had been invented just because they knew he would break it) and had been instructed to stand in his cupboard to await his punishments.

The only thing Harry had ever truly enjoyed doing was reading, he'd read anything he could get his hands on no matter what it was. He'd read old baby books or even Uncle Vernon's encyclopedias about things his young mind could just barely fathom. But his favorite book came from a kindly stranger he'd never seen before, and never seen again. He'd been dragged along on a shopping trip with his Aunt Petunia when he was no more than seven years old they hadn't trusted Harry to stay alone at home yet. She'd sent him to retrieve everything on the list while she gossiped with a woman that she called her friend, but Harry wasn't fooled he'd heard Petunia say many bad words about this woman many times behind her back.

He was in the process of getting Dudley's favorite cereal when an odd man stopped in his tracks staring at Harry in disbelief tears rolling down his cheeks. He'd been dressed completely from head to toe in green and had almost immediately dropped down to his hands and knees stuttering out a thank-you to the young confused boy. Harry didn't dare say a word for fear he might anger the man who was obviously having severe mood swings seeing as how he was laughing hysterically at nothing.

The man crawled over to him grasping a hold of Harry's hand continuing to bow before the very confused seven year old boy. "Please Mr. Potter sir never thought in all my years I'd see you I please except this gift. You probably received better ones from other people but I just please it would mean so much to me if you would accept my humble offering. You are a great man Harry Potter a great man." The man slipped a rather large book into Harry's hand continuously stuttering about something Harry had done but the small boy couldn't ever remebering doing any of the thins the man said he had done.

Something caught in Harry's throat a large lump seemed to set his throat on fire as he tried hard not to cry with joy, this was the first gift he had ever received from anyone. Words failed him as he looked over the book entitled "Sophia Saharan's Shrinking Beginners Guide to Charms Spells and Enchantments" he'd looked up to thank the man for this wondrous gift but he was nowhere to be seen and it seemed to Harry that the man had somehow disappeared into thin air.

Then something occurred to Harry something he hadn't thought of before, how was he to hide this from the Dursely's surely they wouldn't tolerate Harry receiving gifts from mysterious strangers, especially one about magic. Because that was his uncle's number one rule; _**"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS MAGIC!!!!"**_ He often heard Vernon yelling at him.__

But before Harry could come up with a suitable lie or if need be dispose of the book it had begun to feel lighter and look smaller. There was a word for what was happening what was it again? Harry couldn't think straight. Shrinking! It suddenly came to him the book was shrinking.

"Just like magic" he whispered to himself cringing involuntarily as he said the accursed 'M' word expecting a blow from some invisible attacker for daring to utter such a forbidden phrase.

But it never came; instead Harry shoved the book into his pocket when he felt that it had been done shrinking. Then with numb shaking hands he grasped Dudley's favorite cereal and dashed out of the aisle hurrying towards his Aunt Petunia knowing how much she hated to wait. With each step he took Harry could feel his heart grow heavier until it was laden down with a gut wrenching fear that she would know, know about the mysterious stranger and know about his very first gift. She would somehow be able to detect from Harry's badness how he had tried to hide and keep something from the rest of the family, something involving magic.

"What took you so long boy" she snapped when Harry finally did reach Aunt Petunia and presented her with the grocery item slapping him upside the head. Now that her friend wasn't around she didn't have to pretend to be nice to him anymore. But at that moment the pain of the slap didn't even register for Harry because it seemed as though she hadn't even noticed the magical book inside Harry's pocket. He'd gotten away with it. Harry couldn't ever remember having to fight so hard to not smile in his life before; he never even remembered ever _wanting_ to smile. But none of that mattered now, because he would get to keep the present from the mysterious stranger!

Like every other moment in Harry's life where he'd been truly happy this one to was short lived. The moment they had returned from the market Aunt Petunia had sent Harry straight to his cupboard which was fine with him because it gave him a chance to examine his book more closely. There he read the first page on simple charms for young wizards:

_Lumos: This is a simple charm that will create a small burst of light to brighten you in dark situations; some warmth can also be gained from this charm.__The incantation __Lumos__ is derived from the Latin __lumen__ meaning "light". _

_Nox: Is the counter spell for __Lumos__. It causes the light to be extinguished. In Latin, "__Nox__" means "__night__"_

However he hadn't been given long to enjoy reading because soon Aunt Petunia had barked at him to come out and start dinner, so that it could be ready for when Vernon and Dudley returned home from their fishing trip. With his mind still on the new book and that first page he'd read Harry began performing his chores on autopilot not even listening as Petunia hollered at him to hurry up and some other harsh words that I can't in good consequence repeat.

When Vernon and Dudley did return home they could somehow tell that Harry was in a good mood as though it were some kind of palpable aura. This automatically put Vernon in a bad mood "Go stand in a corner boy and wipe that smirk off your face" he instructed gruffly. This surprised Harry because he had never even realized he was smiling but he did follow the orders none the less standing up straight in the corner not even daring to breath to loudly. Instead he allowed his mind to wander back to the book that had been stashed inside of a small hole in his cupboard that was normally used to store food.

After the family had finished eating Harry washed the dishes and returned to the corner standing there until Vernon allowed him to move. He'd been standing for hours when Dudley came by. "Still standing there I see" he sneered but Harry didn't even look at him "Hungry I suppose dinner was rather tasty today" Harry refused to acknowledge Dudley or the fact that they had again refused to feed him because he had not finished the dishes in a timely manner. Then suddenly without warning Dudley hollered loudly "Come look and see what Harry has done" and shoved Harry harshly in the side so that he knocked into his Aunt Petunia's favorite vase.

There was a loud crack as Harry fell against the vase and an even louder crash when the vase broke into a thousand different pieces. Harry felt as though his world had cracked along with the vase and he resisted the strong urge to break down and start crying for fear of what the people were going to do to him for breaking an expensive vase. By this time Dudley had already run all the way upstairs to tell an ugly story about how Harry had purposefully broken the vase and how he had tried to heroically save it but to no avail no doubt.

Harry could do nothing but wait standing perfectly still swallowing back any of his emotions and forcing them into a pit deep in the bottom of his stomach as he waited holding his breath for the punishment that he knew would be coming soon.

**~*~**

Harry was shaking all over when Uncle Vernon finally allowed him to go to bed fear still gripped him tightly. Looking back Harry could remember how sad and alone he felt at that very moment now cold it was and how hard he was shivering. He could remember how desperately he wanted to be warm again but the old thin holy sheets that they had given him to sleep on did little to keep him warm. He tried everything he could think of to get warm again when something finally occurred to him.

Lumos, the spell from that book!

With trembling hands cupped together he whispered "Lumos" his throat burned terribly still raw from screaming but that didn't even register for him instead he was focused on what was forming in the palm of his hand. To his amazement a small ball of light began to take shape in his very hands, growing larger and brighter until it was the size of his fist, and as bright as a rather large night light. He pulled his hands closer to his face enjoying the small amount of warmth he gained from the light.

Since that moment Harry began to break the Dursely's biggest rule of no magic. He read and reread "Sophia Saharan's Shrinking Beginners Guide to Charms Spells and Enchantments" cover to cover learning and practicing everything from that book. He learned how to use Alohomora to unlock his cupboard at night, and how to use Wingardium Leviosa to make things levitate and help him with his chores. He'd also began to strike up conversations with garden snakes when sent out to tend to his aunt's begonias, which sadly were young Harry's only friends.

Soon young Harry Potter would realized what exactly made him so different from the other kids. He would find out precisely what kind of badness the Dursely's were trying rather hard to unceremoniously purge from him. It was then that he found out just how truly powerful he could be. Unfortunately after all those years spent feeling like nothing more than a slave for those better than him it wasn't going to be all that easy to convince him that he ever did anything worth doing.

Lucky for Harry he would soon find out what it would feel like to have an entire Wizarding World backing him up. And that folks is where our story truly begins on our young heroes first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

**~*~**

A/N: This is the first real chapter of "What If?" and I know it was like one giant filler of crud most of you already guessed, but it was important for you to see the difference between Harry's cannon abuse and my noncannon abuse. I haven't exactly explained it in great detail yet the abuse that he receives from the Dursely's but that plays a much larger factor in the plot and I can't give it away just yet. I also know that I never really explained very much but I hope all of you at least caught on to one main difference between cannon Harry and noncannon Harry, my Harry is a lot less confident which also plays a big role in this fic.

I'm asking you all to bear with me here because trust me it will take a _long_ time for me to get to any couples yet because I really want to focus more on developing the relationship first. So don't be surprised if you don't get any as soon as you'd like it.

I'm sort of hoping that this will become a novel length fic and don't worry about how tiny this chapter was they will be getting much larger as the plot develops. This was sort of a little chapter and a taste of what's yet to come. Updates are going to be really slow because when I first started this fic it was very much different then how it is now, but now that I have taken out Sasha (Harry's basilisk) who played a significant role in my original rewrite all of my prewritten things can't be used. Please send me reviews on whether or not you liked it otherwise I'll just assume no one likes it and stop it writing for ever. (Wow that was a long A/N)


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **The Sorting Hat

**Summary: **In this chapter it tells of Harry's ride on Hogwarts Express, how he befriends Draco and about the sorting hat placing him in Slytherin.

**Author: **Property of Professor Snape

**Rating**: PG

**Characters: **Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, the Sorting Hat, Severus Snape

**Word Count: **3,121

**Genres: **Hurt/Comfort with some Angst

**Warnings**: None so far

**Disclaimer: **I do not, have not, and will not ever own Harry Potter. *Sniff* Great now you've gone and reminded me of that fact and that's a whole other set of issues I have to bring up in my next session with Bob my psychiatrist. BOB?!?!?! Bob is no longer available he has committed suicide, because he can no longer deal with PoPS seriously screwed up tortured mind.

~*~

Harry watched with trepidation the busy atmosphere of Kings Cross a ball of anxiety manifesting deep within his gut as he nervously chewed on his bottom lip, ripping the poor innocent appendage to shreds. The large man Hagrid who had come to rescue him from the Dursley's had given him a ticket reading platform nine and three quarters which hadn't made any sense to him but at the time Harry had been willing to believe anything. Although now he wasn't so sure because he was now stranded in the middle of King's Cross alone with no sign at all of any kind of platform nine and three quarters.

Vernon had dropped him off and rather nastily pointed out the distinct lack of a platform nine and three quarters then sped away with the rest of his family cackling spitefully at his own humorless joke. Harry was terrified and didn't know what to do, the only time he'd ever felt this alone was when he had to spend long nights by himself in his cupboard. So without further ado Harry was about to turn around and try to find his way back to the family's house with nobody else's help but his own, though that wouldn't be much of a problem since he was already so used to doing most things on his own.

But then something caught his eye, it was a person with the most brilliant shade of red hair he's ever seen. There was all lot of these people actually a whole family of them they were an odd sight indeed. A flock of red hair wearing less than reputable clothes using odd words such as 'muggle' and to Harry's utter amazement and dumb luck 'platform nine and three quarters'. So Harry did just about the only thing he could do; he watched the family of red people.

Harry watched closely as two of the red people who looked a lot of alike (they must have been twins) walked rather quickly towards the wall between platforms nine and ten. 'Watch out' he wanted to yell for fear they might actually hit the wall and seriously injure themselves, but to his astonishment they walked right through the wall!

Harry couldn't believe his eyes! He blinked softly wondering whether or not what he saw was true, he took off his glasses wiping them in his oversized shirt, sure that what he saw couldn't be possible. When he replaced the glasses back on his nose pushing them up his face he watched in shock as yet another of the red heads walked right through the wall. "Not possible" he whispered disbelievingly to himself as the rest of the red head people walked through the wall to.

He walked around to the other side of that magic wall expecting to see all of the red people safely on the other side, but to no avail. It finally clicked for Harry that not just anyone could be able to get to platform nine and three quarters, only wizards could. And that the only way for him to get there would be to travel through the magic wall something he honestly didn't want to do. But then he could hear it, hear them their mocking voices saying that he wasn't anything special after all. And Knew right then that his decision had just been made.

Squaring his shoulders and mustering what little strength he had he all but ran towards the magical wall between platform nine and ten. He was getting closer and closer to the wall; three yard away, two yards away, two feet away. Harry all but expected to be rejected by this wall, expected his badness to make the wall truly see what a bad seed he was, but then it didn't happen, a brief feeling of weightlessness and then suddenly he was on the other side.

He opened his eyes slowly without even knowing that he held them closed and looked around to find hundreds of wizards ushering their kids onto the large red train addressed Hogwarts Express. Harry let a small smile of relief spread across his face as the realization hit that he had finally arrived in his destination. With legs of lead he boarded the train ready to finally achieve his own personal freedom from the Dursley's and the life he lived there.

He found an empty compartment for himself sliding the door closed behind him he put his trunk away and cracked open one of the many course books that Hagrid had helped him buy. He was alone in there for a matter of moments before the door slid open catching his attention. In walked a blonde boy with grey eyes flanked by two boys much larger than him. "Everywhere else is full" he informed Harry without any other explanation the three boys plopped themselves down in the seat across from Harry's.

"Name's Malfoy Draco Malfoy" the blonde boy said in a cold drawl his steely eyes traveled up and down Harry's much smaller form, there was an air of superiority around this boy almost as though Harry was lucky to even be in Draco's presence. "These are my associates Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle" Draco said much in the same manor he had before. Harry shivered softly not liking the implications he was getting from cold grey eyes he spoke almost as though Harry should have already known all this, and that made Harry even more self conscious than he already was –if that's possible. "What's yours" Draco asked sounding more like he was being polite rather than of the genuine interest of knowing who Harry was.

But Harry would answer any ways because after all it wasn't very often that someone took interest in anything that had to do with him. "M-My names H-Harry Potter" his stuttered softly his face an unhealthy shade of bright red and he refused to look up at the other boy so nervous he felt he might actually throw up soon.

"Really" the boy asked sounding surprised eyes wide he turned disbelieving grey eyes to Harry. "Well if you're really Harry Potter then let's see it then go on show us" Draco urged his voice coming out in his a smug tone but Harry could still see a look of pure curiosity in his once blank stare. Harry was confused for a moment but then he saw how Draco's hand had gone to his forehead and Harry assumed he must have meant the lightning bolt car that had been left over from the car crash his parents had died in.

With a slightly shaking hand Harry reached up and removed the hair that had been once been hiding the swollen red mark. Crabbe and Goyle both gasped simultaneously staring with vacant looks in both their large faces at the legendary scar, and Draco while he wasn't nearly as obvious as Crabbe and Goyle was extremely surprised by this and was caught completely off guard which did not happen often.

Though it did not last long and he soon regained his composure and sarcastic remarks "So you really are him aren't you" Draco asked but Harry knew better than to answer such a question "The infamous Harry Potter savior of the wizarding world for doing absolutely nothing." Draco scoffed and waited a moment for both Crabbe and Goyle's fake laughter that always seemed to come right after he made an insult. "You probably don't even remember any of it do you" Draco snarled angrily.

Harry shrank back in his seat suddenly terrified of what was going to happen next, he had no idea what he'd done to upset the boy so much but whatever it was it must have been pretty bad to make someone he hadn't even met before this angry. And yet he still couldn't stop his mouth from moving and words from coming out. "Remember what" he asked softly.

Apparently this was not the right question to ask it was the very opposite of right it was wrong because it only seemed to make Draco even angrier. "The night your parents were murdered" Draco hissed in a cold voice.

This confused Harry greatly murdered, that was impossible his parent weren't murdered they died in a car crash. The Hagrid guy that had come to get him had also told Harry that he parents were murdered but he had the large man had never mentioned by who or what, so Harry hadn't even believed him. But now this boy who he had only met moments ago was also telling him that his parents were murdered. "My parents were killed in a car crash" Harry mumbled softly still not daring to look up at the fuming blonde.

This threw Draco for a moment killed in a car crash what was this kid talking about. "Who told you that" he asked now genuinely curious.

"A-Aunt Petunia and Uncle V-Vernon, Said my dad got drunk at the wheel" he stuttered his eyes looking at the oh so interesting floor just in front of Draco's shoes. Ignoring the confused looks he was getting from Draco and the two larger boys that were sitting next to him.

"Your parents weren't killed in some muggle contraption; they were murdered by the greatest dark wizard of all time." Draco said eyeing Harry suspiciously trying to gage the smaller boy's reaction. Frightening and confused green eyes finally looked up at him for the first time since he got on the train, and for a moment Harry's mouth hung open as if he were going to say something but couldn't find the words so he closed them again.

After what felt like an eternity but in reality was only five minutes Harry was able to choke out a response "M-murdered b-but that's i-impossible" pleading eyes turned on Draco all but silently begging the boy to tell him that it was a cruel joke. His whole life Harry believed that his parents had been killed in a car crash, the one that Harry caused at least that's what Vernon had told him. And now all of a sudden people were telling him that this wasn't true they were saying that Harry hadn't killed his parents, because they had been murdered by a dark wizard. This was all too much.

"You really didn't know did you?" Draco asked softly his expression becoming surprisingly soft. Harry didn't risk using his voice for fear he might start crying then and there, so he merely shook his head no. "Why didn't they tell you the truth" Draco asked just as softly as before and Harry still not trusting his voice only shrugged his shoulders. "You don't know much about the wizarding world do you" Draco asked leaning forward ever so slightly. Harry again shook his head no and Draco offered him the smallest of smiles "Well don't worry about it because I'll help you" Draco held out his hand patiently waiting for Harry to shake it.

Harry hesitantly gnawed at his bottom lip as he watched the hand apprehensively "As friends?" he asked tentatively.

Draco nodded "As friends" he said firmly.

And so with shaking hands Harry allowed his much smaller work calloused hand to be enveloped by Draco's much larger one neither knowing exactly what kind of trouble this would cause.

~*~

Harry felt like crying, he wasn't enjoying himself at all. He was sitting in front of a large dining area called the Great Hall with a magic talking hat set upon his head who was basically telling him that he had no idea which house to sort Harry into. Poor young Harry all but expected to be booted out the door.

"_You have great wit Ravenclaw would be a wonder full match for you…Your bravery is rather lacking so maybe not Gryffindor. But then again you do have a rather heavy thirst to prove yourself…And my my how wonderful you would be in Slytherin it's all right here in your head. But were to put you hmm… this is very difficult. Difficult indeed."_

Harry looked nervously from one table to the next unsure of which one would be his next house. The Gryffindor table decorated in gold and red, this table held the whole family of red heads that Harry had watched to learn how to reach platform nine and three quarters. His eyes slowly moved to the Ravenclaw table which held the colors of blue and bronze, Harry didn't recognize any of the people in this table except perhaps for a frizzy haired girl with large buck teeth that had come into his compartment looking for a lost toad named Trevor. Soon his eyes fell upon the Hufflepuff table that was adorned with yellow and black Harry didn't recognize any one here either save for Neville the boy who had lost the frog in the first place.

Then Harry's eyes rested upon the Slytherin table that was festooned with green and silver, in that table Harry laid eyes upon Draco who was looking up at him expectantly. Waiting for something but for what, Harry was confused. Then it clicked Draco expected him, wanted him to be in Slytherin to. And Harry wanted to badly to be with his first friend, didn't want to disappoint the blonde for fear their friendship might be tarnished. Harry wasn't sure whether or not Draco would be angry with him for not being in the same house, but Harry didn't want to find out.

"_Slytherin_" he thought to the hat desperately hoping for it to agree.

"_Are you sure"_ the hat asked _"Because I do believe that Ravenclaw would be a better fit"_

"_No Slytherin I'm positive_"

"Well all right if you're sure. Better be…SLYTHERIN"

Loud cheers and cries could be heard from the Slytherin table as Professor McGonagall took the hat from off of Harry's head and the small dark haired boy hopped off of the stool to join the rest of the Slytherins. He sat down next to Draco in the small space that his new friend provided for him blushing a deep shade of scarlet as many of the Slytherins gave him pats on the backs and compliments, it was the more attention than Harry was used to receiving and it was all getting to be a bit overwhelming.

Though soon their attentions were pulled from Harry and refocused to the empty goblets and serving trays that had magically begun to fill with food. This surprised Harry for two reasons; one he was not used to food appearing on his plate the magic way, and two while he watched all the other kids eat Draco had told him that it was alright for Harry to eat all he wanted. Never in all his life had Harry ever been offered food before, he always had to work for it this was almost too good to be true. For that reason Harry only took a bit of the roast and nothing else afraid he might be denied any food for taking as much as the other children, even if Harry was away from the Dursley's he still had to remember his place, still had to remember that they were all better than him.

After dinner Harry and the other Slytherins were escorted down to the dungeons by the Slytherin prefects and told the new password "Anguine" and shown their proper sleeping arrangements boys to the left and girls to the right. Harry Draco and the rest of the male first years sharing their room which consisted Crabbe Goyle and another boy Blaise Zabini. Harry gazed with wonder the bed that had his trunk next to it -which could only mean was the bed he was allowed to sleep in- it was a large poster bed decorated with deep green and silver curtains.

"Wow I've never had one of these before" Harry breathed softly amazement laced within every word.

"Never had what before" Blaise asked from somewhere behind him.

"A bed" Harry answered without thinking noticing his mistakes moment after he said it.

Draco materialized next to him in an instant "Those muggles you live with, the ones that told you your parents died in a car crash, they treat you all right" Draco asked his tone clearly saying he already knew the answer to the question but asked it anyway.

Harry turned away not wanting to look at Draco when he told his blatant lie, not wanting to see the hate and anger he just knew would be there. "Yes they treat me just fine, in fact I'd say they spoil me" Harry deadpanned the line he'd had to use many times before. Draco could tell the was probably rehearsed but he didn't say anything instead he went to his own bed just across from Harry's. He'd let the issue go…for now.

~*~

Severus Snape was not happy, in fact he was the exact opposite of happy he was unhappy. He was a lot of thins but none of them were happy. Harry Potter placed in Slytherin; Severus would have to remember to check whether or not hell had frozen over. It should have been impossible considering who his parents were, Lily and James Potter possibly the biggest Gryffindors to ever walk the face of the earth.

It just didn't add up, Harry shouldn't have been in Slytherin not when he had James for a father, Harry was almost a splitting image of James (except for the eyes those were all Lily's), he was even named after the man Harry _James_ Potter. So there must have been some mix up right?

No not right because the Sorting Hat itself choose Harry for Slytherin and there was no way Harry could have convinced the hat otherwise. So now it came to be that the boy was placed in Slytherin in Snapes very house and there was nary a thing Lily and James could do about it. Ah yes Snape could see them now turning in their graves crying out in fury as their precious little boy was placed in Slytherin. A grim smile curled itself upon his lips as he enjoyed his thought, it would have been easier to name all the things Snape wasn't willing to give up for the look on James's face. It would have been priceless, and for the first time in a long time Severus Snape found himself trying hard to hold in his _own_ laughter.

Yes Harry Potter was now in Slytherin placed under his care James and Lily could do nothing about it, and now there was nothing left to do except rearrange his lesson plan for tomorrow he had much to do. Much to do indeed.

~*~

**A/N**: Hey it's me again I noticed that there haven't been many reviews, well none actually but I guess I kind of understand why there really hasn't been much development in this story anyways but I hope this chapter will at least get me some. If you really do like this I advise you to give me _something_ to work with I'm desperate here, if you're not reviewing because it's crappy then tell me because I _need_ to know so that I can fix it. I don't mean to sound pushy or demanding but I only ever started writing fanfiction to make other people happy and if this isn't making you happy then tell me and I'll stop. And to all those of you who are actually enjoying this and looking forward to the next chapter than tell me so that I can update faster. Also I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes seeing as I don't actually have a beta reader so if you are interested than please tell me.


	4. Authors Note :

Sorry for all the people reading What If, because it's going to be going on a _long _hiatus. I started typing all these chapters weeks ago, and had at least seven chapters done with. I had planned to update on the story once a week, starting today but unfortunately me being the genius that I am have lost my USB (thumb drive). I don't have a computer at home and everything for 'What If?' was on there, fortunately I have Playing With Fire on my red USB and my other fanfic (coming out sometime in April no spoilers) on my purple USB-I like to keep all my fanfics separate. Anyways the point is, I have no backups whatsoever not even written ones, so please don't hate me if you were really into that fic. I'm hoping I just misplaced it somewhere in my room, and shall be going dumpster diving for it, until then sadly, you won't be seeing much of 'What If?' any time soon.


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